MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has been covering Major League Baseball since 1981 and is the author of "Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Cubs." You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. Here, she blogs about the Cubs.

11/23 Cubs offer arb to Ramirez, Pena

The Cubs offered arbitration to Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Pena but not Kerry Wood. All three were considered Type B free agents. By offering Ramirez and Pena arbitration, the Cubs will receive a compensatory Draft pick between the first and second rounds if they sign with another team. The Cubs are expected to continue talks with Wood, and not offering arbitration is strictly a procedural move.

They’ve already upgraded the team by letting Ramirez and Pena go. All good things take time, we are no longer subject to the quick fix schemes we have seen time and time again perpetrated at the hands of Hendry.

We haven’t even gotten to the winter meetings yet so it’s a little bit early to get worried about nothing getting done this off-season. For the most part, anyone worth signing (who doesn’t already know for sure what they want to do) waits until at least the winter meetings so their agent can meet with all the teams interested and see who’s really willing to pony up the dough. Let’s wait for the meetings December 5-8 and then we’ll have a better idea what we’re dealing with.

My first thought about signing Pujols to a long term contract was that of, here we go again, but he just might be the kind of clubhouse leader and influence the younger players need. Of course 30 or 40 home runs in the friendly confines wouldn’t hurt either.
The long term contracts that have hurt the Cubs in the past were with mediocre to average players, some with a lot of baggage, who could hit with power. Pujols on the other hand hits for average, power, is an outstanding fielder, and has an outstanding work ethic. Just imagine what and influence he would have on Bryan LaHair, D.J. Lamahiew, and Tyler Colvin.

Now why would we be concerned with the influence that LaHair would receive? Wouldn’ he be permenantly out of job as far as being a Cub if Pujols was signed for any length of time? No question that Pujols is far and away in a different league than ALL THE ONE DIMENSIONAL BUMS that Hendry paid way too much and for far too long. However, at Pujols’ age I think the armor is beginning to show some cracks as far as health. A four to five year contract for an NL team would be pulling off something special, anything longer than that I hope Epstein walks away and goes to Fielder or LaHair. In fact, having either Pujols or Fielder may be akin to buying a yacht but having no money left over to pay for a crew or fuel…and the yacht goes…nowhere. I can see how Epstein and us fans can be tempted to sign the best hitter in the game….BUT….

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